And Valael, I know what you mean. RTW is sooooo damn good, it's difficult for me to vote away from it. But HL2's awesome technology, the lighting, the sound, the incredible physics engine, and (for me) deeply engrossing gameplay world are all so groundbreaking and just so far beyond anything I've seen in an FPS yet, that I had to vote for it. I think it's a masterpiece of coding.

LoTR: Battle for Middle Earth is out next week. While it might not be game of the year, it is sure to be a HUGE seller and a fun game.

Also, Knights of the Old Republic 2 is out next week...and that could be a game of the year condender.

both good points. BFME could be great, I'll be curious to see how it's received. I knew KOTOR 2 was coming out for xbox, but for some reason, I was thinking the PC version wasn't coming out till Jan/Feb.

it was a tough call for me, but i went with UT2K4 on that list. no other game this year has received the amount of play time that i've given to UT...nothing else has even come close. while i think HL2 is a magnificent game, i gave the vote to UT simply because of the amount of my time that it has taken up. there hasn't been another game this year that holds my attention for hours on end like UT2K4. i'll probably play through HL2 a few times, but that experience only lasts so long...for me, UT never gets old.

if i were to vote based on initial impressions without consideration for lasting value, HL2 would definitely be my GOTY...one of the best gaming experiences i've had in the last few years in fact.

disarm, I agree about UT2004. I've put more hours into it than any other game this year as well, and I had it on this short list for a reason. It's a terrific upgrade, has fantastic replayability, and best of all, the mod community for it is nothing short of amazing. The editor turns it into a make-your-own-game machine. Basically, people can write their own game design using the UT engine. at $29, I think it's easily the best value in gaming right now.

However, I went with Unreal Tournament 2004. I co-authored a guide for this bad boy and played it 12 hours a day for a full week (spring break '04 baby) and didn't expect to play it that much since I played it out.

Well, add on to that my time on Zaxxon's server (169.7 hours) and you've got a boatload of hours. UT2k4 is the pinnacle of unrealistic multiplayer gaming.

very tough call for overall game of the year, but i went with ut2k4 for its amazing mod community and longevity. nothing short of best all around value for my money.

that said, i would have to give the out-of-the-box experience to hl2. it would be runner up for best action game

best rpg would have to be vtm:b. even though it is a buggy mess at times, and there is virtually no competition this year (which sucks), i still consider it a great rpg and full of good points.

best strategy: s:howw2. great fun blowing up germans, buildings, germans, vehicles, germans, other stuff, more germans. for all its failings (starforce, overbearing difficulty) i played the crap out of it. can be so very satisfying.

My vote goes for the game I played the most this year, non-stop until it was done. Some people complained of massive game stopping bugs, but I encountered none, and the game was a thrill ride from the beginning to the end... and that game is:

I had to vote for UT2k4. I've played on Zaxxon's server for well over 100 hours and met so many great people playing there. I played a lot of great games this year (and HL2 blew me away), but I've gotten so much milage out of UT2k4 and the many fantastic mods that it HAD to be my GotY.

This years been so good that picking a GOTY is almost unfair. But if I have to... it's a tie between R:TW and Half-Life 2. :lol: But I have to give honorable mention to Far Cry and WoW, both very good games as well. I now have more very good gmas than I will ever have the time to play.

You should slap anyone who voted for Half-Life 2, but at the same time rips Doom 3 for being "more of the same".

Glycerine

yeah, half life 2 is "more of the same" because of all of those scores of other games where you lead an insect takeover of a prison, lead a resistance movement against an opressive government, decapitate zombies with flying saw blades and use radiators as shields and impact weapons :?